The relationship between Mary and the people of God in Rev 12

IULIAN FARAOANU

ABSTRACT. The Marian themes are not so common in the last book of the Bible. However, chapter 12 might be an exception to this. On the other hand, ecclesiological images are often used together with the theology and Christology themes. Some scholars believe that one method for understanding the message of Revelation could be the analysis of the images of the Church. This paper aims at bringing partial light on the term “Church”, seen as the people of God in relation to Mary, the mother of the Church in the Revelation. How does the people of God relate to Mary? The answer can be analyzed from three perspectives: the historical perspective, the symbolical perspective and the relation between the community and the individual. At secondary level, the paper also introduces a point of view on the interpretation of the great sign in Revelation 12. Is there a Mariological reference in the Revelation? The preference is to have a balanced approach, a synthesis between the two manners of understanding the image of the Woman: the Church or Mary. pp. 33–44